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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rash — hasty
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rash — a series
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — a container
  19. cue — a hint
  20. object — an aim
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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