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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
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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: can · bear · ball · straw · ground · pop · file · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ground — a position
  8. file — a document
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pop — soda
  20. ball — a dance
  21. file — a tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bear — the animal

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