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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. file — a document
  6. rest — a break
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mug — a face
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mug — to rob
  24. can — to be able to

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