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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · wound · saw · vault · bowl · pop · file · content

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pop — soda
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. march — music
  11. file — a tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. vault — a safe
  16. content — the amount
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. file — a line of people
  19. wound — an injury
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. march — the month
  23. saw — the tool
  24. content — happy

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