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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.

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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: rule · fall · file · bear · mouse · rest · chest · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chest — a box
  4. file — a tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rest — a break
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fall — the season
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a document
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rule — a law
  21. file — a line of people
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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