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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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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: rock · file · deal · tube · vault · content · safe · pound

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rock — music
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tube — a container
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. content — the amount
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. file — a line of people
  17. content — happy
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a document
  22. tube — the underground
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — to move gently

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