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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pound — a weight
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pass — to spend time

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