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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.

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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: bore · rule · plane · wind · vault · wake · mouse · file

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rule — a law
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. file — a document
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rule — government
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. file — a tool
  24. bore — gave birth

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