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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. mate — a partner
  3. file — a line of people
  4. staff — employees
  5. file — a document
  6. mark — a trace
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — to breed
  12. file — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — employees
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. craft — boats

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