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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · stem · mate · fan · tube · vault · charge · file

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tube — a container
  4. file — a tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. file — a line of people
  7. charge — in control
  8. mate — a partner
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. track — to keep track
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mate — to breed
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — a song
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a document
  20. stem — to come from
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. tube — the underground
  23. charge — electricity
  24. track — a path

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