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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: rush · file · net · band · fine · tube · vault · perch

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. net — after costs
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a document
  7. net — for catching
  8. tube — a container
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. net — in sport
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. file — a line of people
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fine — all right

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