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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. prune — to trim
  13. scale — size or range
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. file — a document
  21. prune — to trim
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a great time
  24. vault — a safe

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