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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: pound · rule · squash · file · fine · vault · plane · staff

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. file — a document
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. squash — the sport
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fine — all right
  8. pound — a weight
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fine — high quality
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. staff — a stick
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. staff — employees
  24. pound — to hit hard

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