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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wind — moving air
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bound — obliged
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — a break
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a document
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hand — help
  20. bound — certain
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. can — a tin

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