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

Word bank: present · mark · vault · dip · file · cell

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. present — the time now
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. present — a gift
  7. mark — a grade
  8. present — there
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. dip — to sink

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