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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 King held a masked ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ball — a dance
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — boats
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — a thing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ball — a round shape

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