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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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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: can · bulb · ground · bore · vault · file · fan · swing

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. file — a line of people
  4. swing — to play on
  5. ground — the earth
  6. file — a tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — a position
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — crushed
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — to drill
  20. file — a document
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. swing — music
  24. vault — a safe

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