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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ball — a great time
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. saw — the tool
  8. current — electric
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. saw — the tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. suit — in cards
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. suit — clothes
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — happening now
  18. tube — the underground
  19. degree — temperature
  20. suit — to fit
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — of water
  24. ball — a round shape

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