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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · mug · vault · present · tube · lie · file · content

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — the time now
  7. file — a document
  8. vault — a safe
  9. content — the amount
  10. mug — a cup
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — a container
  18. file — a tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. file — a line of people
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mug — to rob
  24. tube — the underground

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