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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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 tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — a weight
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bark — to shout
  8. file — a document
  9. march — music
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. file — a line of people
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — letters
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. spell — magic
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — the month
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. march — the month
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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