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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. court — of a king
  3. file — a line of people
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bank — for money
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bank — of a river
  9. court — for sport
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bank — for money
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — of law
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. file — a tool
  21. cold — an illness
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. file — a document

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