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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rule — a law
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tube — the underground
  7. staff — employees
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — help
  11. rule — government
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bowl — a dish

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