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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. race — a contest
  5. kick — in football
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. land — ground
  9. board — a committee
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. board — to get on
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. race — humankind
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. race — the arms race
  22. vault — a safe
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. board — a flat piece

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