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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: stem · vault · mouse · key · file · fall · craft · season

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. file — a line of people
  6. craft — boats
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stem — to come from
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — in sport
  12. file — a document
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — of the year
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a tool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — in music
  24. season — to add flavour

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