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

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. file — a line of people
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a music group
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to bend
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lean — thin
  21. rest — a break
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a ring
  24. lean — to rest against

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