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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. degree — temperature
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ground — a position
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cell — a phone
  19. tube — a container
  20. degree — from a university
  21. vault — a safe
  22. degree — an amount
  23. ground — crushed
  24. racket — for tennis

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