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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. perch — the fish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bound — tied together
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. tube — the underground
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rash — a series
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — hasty
  22. swing — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bound — certain

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