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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 124 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. content — the amount
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ball — a great time
  6. file — a line of people
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — a position
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — of a river
  14. file — a tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ground — crushed
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bank — for money
  23. content — happy
  24. ball — a dance

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