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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. roll — a cake
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tube — the underground
  7. net — for catching
  8. roll — a list
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tube — a container
  13. cap — a hat
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cap — of ice
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in 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