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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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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: last · pit · object · leaves · file · cabinet · cell · vault

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cell — a phone
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. file — a line of people
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pit — a hole
  13. file — a document
  14. last — to go on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. file — a tool
  17. last — final
  18. object — an aim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — in biology
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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