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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. vault — a safe
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ground — crushed
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. file — a document
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. roll — a list
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bank — for money
  15. ground — the earth
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ground — a position
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — to handle
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. straw — a straw man

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