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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 116 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: net · pit · clip · fork · vault · file · deal · dip

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. clip — a video
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. net — for catching
  12. file — a document
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. clip — to cut
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pit — in a race
  24. clip — for paper

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