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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tube — a container
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. vault — a safe
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bound — obliged
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. object — a thing
  12. bound — tied together
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — certain
  15. cell — a phone
  16. drill — a practice
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. object — an aim
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. drill — army training
  23. cell — in biology
  24. tube — the underground

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