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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: temple · stock · safe · row · perch · can · vault · file

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. file — a line of people
  3. can — a tin
  4. file — a document
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stock — goods
  14. file — a tool
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — shares
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. row — a line
  22. can — to be able to
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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