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

Word bank: mug · file · capital · content · snap · vault · roll · ground

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. roll — a list
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. file — a line of people
  7. roll — a cake
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ground — the earth
  10. capital — a city
  11. ground — a position
  12. mug — a cup
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. content — the amount
  15. mug — a face
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. file — a tool
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. ground — crushed
  21. content — happy
  22. capital — money
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mug — to rob

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