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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 120 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: vault · mate · rest · plane · cabinet · last · file · hand

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a line of people
  4. plane — a tool
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hand — in cards
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rest — what's left
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hand — help
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — a break
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. last — to go on
  19. mate — a friend
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. file — a tool
  23. mate — a partner
  24. last — finally

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