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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — in golf
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. swing — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — a permit
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — a container
  24. mouse — the animal

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