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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. season — of the year
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. file — a tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. deal — to handle
  11. root — of a word
  12. file — a document
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. march — music
  16. root — the cause
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — a safe
  19. root — of a plant
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. tube — the underground
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. march — the month

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