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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. land — to come down
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. tube — a container
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. vault — a safe
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. tube — the underground
  24. squash — the sport

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