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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · vault · rock · file · present · stand

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — a gift
  8. vault — a safe
  9. present — the time now
  10. degree — temperature
  11. present — there
  12. rock — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rock — a stone
  15. file — a document
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stand — to bear
  18. degree — from a university

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