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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — a stick
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. staff — employees
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cap — a lid
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — a container
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — shares
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a hat
  17. vault — a safe
  18. tube — the underground
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. staff — employees
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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