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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. tube — a container
  5. tear — to rip
  6. hand — in cards
  7. squash — the sport
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. hand — help
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — the underground
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pit — in a race
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — a safe
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — to crush

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