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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: fine · mug · deal · kick · arm · vault · bulb · file

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. vault — a safe
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. file — a tool
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a document
  10. kick — in football
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mug — a face
  13. fine — high quality
  14. file — a line of people
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — all right
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bulb — of a plant

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