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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. band — a ring
  5. pound — a weight
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. board — a committee
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — to get on
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. vault — a safe
  24. band — a music group

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