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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: branch · rock · vault · face · lash · net · season · race

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. net — after costs
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. branch — a division
  9. vault — a safe
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. race — the arms race
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — music
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. race — a contest
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. net — in sport
  23. race — humankind
  24. season — of the year

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