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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. file — a line of people
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. snap — to click
  4. spell — magic
  5. pitch — completely
  6. shower — rain
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. shower — to wash
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. spell — a short time
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. file — a document
  19. spell — letters
  20. bore — to drill
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bore — to tire
  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