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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cap — a hat
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — steady
  10. cap — a lid
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — a company
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. march — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cap — of ice
  19. march — the month
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — decided
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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