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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 116 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mug — a cup
  6. march — the month
  7. key — in music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — a face
  11. drill — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. drill — army training
  14. vault — a safe
  15. march — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. can — to be able to
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mug — to rob
  23. tube — the underground
  24. drill — a practice

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