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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: file · deal · pit · stem · wake · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wake — a trail
  4. deal — to handle
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. file — a tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people

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