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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: shower · stock · pitcher · root · file · vault · lean · key

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — a safe
  5. file — a tool
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. file — a line of people
  8. root — of a word
  9. shower — rain
  10. key — in music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. root — the cause
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lean — thin
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lean — to bend
  21. root — of a plant
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stock — shares
  24. key — the most important part

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