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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. staff — employees
  6. file — a line of people
  7. court — of a king
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — the fish
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. file — a tool
  17. land — a country
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. staff — employees
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. court — for sport
  24. land — ground

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