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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — a division
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. land — a country
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. clip — for paper
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. file — a tool
  21. land — to come down
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. clip — a video
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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