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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 116 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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Word bank
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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: face · wake · hand · vault · pop · mouse · sharp · suit

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. suit — to fit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pop — music
  6. face — to confront
  7. suit — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. face — to point toward
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pop — to visit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pop — soda
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. suit — clothes

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