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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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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: swing · can · object · pound · wake · file · vault · perch

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — music
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. object — to protest
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. swing — in golf
  10. perch — the fish
  11. vault — a safe
  12. object — a thing
  13. can — to be able to
  14. file — a tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wake — a trail
  17. can — a tin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a line of people
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. object — an aim

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