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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: bark · wind · pass · vault · can · staff · file · hide

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. staff — a stick
  3. file — a tool
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. staff — employees
  16. wind — moving air
  17. file — a document
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pass — a permit
  22. staff — employees
  23. wind — moving air
  24. can — a tin

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