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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 120 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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rock — music
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. file — a tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a music group
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — a safe
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. band — a ring
  18. bank — of a river
  19. file — a document
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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