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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. vault — a safe
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — a permit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tube — a container
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. object — to protest
  19. bass — low music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. date — on the calendar

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