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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pop — soda
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. staff — employees
  15. tube — a container
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fork — in a road
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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