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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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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cue — a signal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. shower — rain
  6. tube — the underground
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. vault — a safe
  9. degree — temperature
  10. cue — for pool
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. degree — from a university
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. shower — to wash
  18. tube — a container
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — to handle
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cue — a hint
  24. deal — a big deal

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