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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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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 · suit · rest · rock · current · prune · perch · vault

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. face — to confront
  3. prune — to trim
  4. face — part of the head
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — a break
  8. face — to point toward
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — electric
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — of water
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rock — music

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