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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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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: nail · tube · vault · fine · bay · object · file · racket

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — the underground
  5. object — to protest
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. object — a thing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. object — an aim
  14. file — a document
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a line of people
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fine — all right
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — a container
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. file — a tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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