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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 116 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: file · key · pound · vault · can · wave · saw · fall

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a document
  4. can — a tin
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fall — the season
  7. file — a tool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fall — to drop
  12. vault — a safe
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. key — the most important part
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. key — for a lock
  18. file — a line of people
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. key — in music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wave — of the sea

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