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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mug — a face
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bat — the animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mug — to rob
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. mug — a cup
  16. tube — a container
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. squash — the sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. squash — the vegetable

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