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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — to bear
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rest — a break
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — a hat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cap — a lid
  24. tube — a container

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