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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. cap — a lid
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bass — low music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. root — of a word

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