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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. file — a document
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — obliged
  12. file — a tool
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bound — tied together
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bound — certain
  22. rash — a series
  23. vault — a safe
  24. file — a line of people

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