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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: file · bear · nail · vault · mouse · rock · mark · leaves

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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