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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cell — a phone
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. file — a line of people
  16. last — final
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. file — a tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cell — in a prison

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