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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. charge — electricity
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — a container
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pound — a weight
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. charge — a price
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — decided

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