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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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Word bank
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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. file — a tool
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. content — the amount
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. file — a document
  9. cue — a hint
  10. vault — a safe
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cue — a signal
  14. snap — to click
  15. content — happy
  16. cue — for pool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. squash — the sport
  22. file — a line of people
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. squash — the vegetable

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