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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rest — a break
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. saw — the tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. swing — music
  18. mate — a partner
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. swing — in golf
  24. arm — part of the body

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