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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 120 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. tube — a container
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. sharp — clever
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — soda
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. track — a song
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. track — a path
  24. vault — a safe

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