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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · saw · vault · straw · current · face · perch · arm

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — of water
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. deal — to handle
  5. face — to confront
  6. current — electric
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. face — part of the head
  10. perch — the fish
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. saw — the tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — happening now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. face — to point toward
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com