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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. tube — a container
  3. pound — a weight
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. dip — to sink
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. deal — to handle
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stand — to bear

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