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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. present — there
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — a gift
  5. tube — the underground
  6. present — the time now
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rest — a break
  13. fall — to drop
  14. track — a song
  15. fall — to drop
  16. tube — a container
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. track — a path
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fall — the season

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