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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.

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: nail · file · vault · saw · press · temple · trunk · ball

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. file — a document
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. file — a tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — a publisher
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a dance
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ball — a great time
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. vault — a safe
  17. press — newspapers
  18. saw — the tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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