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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: stand · suit · bat · swing · mouse · hide · vault · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. 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. file — a document
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bat — the animal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — to play on
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — music
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. file — a tool
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. 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