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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.

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: net · file · bass · fall · pop · chair · vault · staff

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. file — a document
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bass — the fish
  8. net — after costs
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pop — music
  11. net — in sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pop — soda
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chair — a leader
  19. file — a line of people
  20. staff — employees
  21. fall — to drop
  22. vault — a safe
  23. file — a tool
  24. net — for catching

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