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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.

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: file · field · temple · spell · present · board · vault · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — letters
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. board — to get on
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. file — a document
  8. field — farmland
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. field — for sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. file — a line of people
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — a subject
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. file — a tool
  20. spell — magic
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. spell — a short time
  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