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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tube — a container
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — to bear
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pop — music
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pop — soda
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pop — to visit
  24. tube — in a tire

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