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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fall — the season
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. file — a tool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fall — to drop
  9. degree — from a university
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — a tin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. degree — an amount
  16. deal — to handle
  17. file — a document
  18. fall — to drop
  19. can — a tin
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. can — to be able to

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