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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. row — a line
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bound — certain
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. suit — in cards
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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