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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 120 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: vault · club · bear · mouse · bound · mate · file · fine

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. club — for golf
  10. file — a line of people
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bound — certain
  19. file — a tool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fine — all right
  22. bear — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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