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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — decided
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bound — obliged
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bound — certain
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — tied together
  13. firm — a company
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. firm — steady
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — a safe
  24. dip — to sink

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