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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. file — a document
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. charge — in control
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stock — goods
  9. cue — for pool
  10. firm — decided
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a hat
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. file — a line of people
  15. cap — a lid
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. charge — a price
  19. firm — a company
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — steady
  22. stock — shares
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. file — a tool

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