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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rock — music
  4. fork — in a road
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. capital — money
  9. file — a line of people
  10. capital — a city
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. file — a tool
  13. snap — to click
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — a stone
  24. calf — a young animal

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