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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: file · press · vault · wax · nail · firm · root · mine

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. press — newspapers
  4. firm — a company
  5. root — the cause
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — a safe
  8. press — to push
  9. mine — for digging
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. root — of a word
  12. file — a line of people
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a plant
  17. file — a tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. file — a document
  20. wax — to grow
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. nail — on a finger

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