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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: ground · mouse · vault · file · lean · cabinet · lash · perch

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lean — thin
  10. ground — crushed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. file — a tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. file — a document
  17. ground — a position
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ground — the earth
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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