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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. tube — a container
  4. present — a gift
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. present — the time now
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. race — humankind
  13. firm — a company
  14. vault — a safe
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — a contest
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. race — the arms race
  21. tube — the underground
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. fall — the season

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