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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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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: mouse · stock · tear · file · vault · band · mate · temple

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stock — shares
  11. file — a tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. file — a document
  15. stock — goods
  16. file — a line of people
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. vault — a safe
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — from crying

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