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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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Word bank
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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. tube — a container
  4. mine — for digging
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. capital — money
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rock — music
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. capital — a city
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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