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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 124 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. squash — to crush
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — electricity
  6. squash — the sport
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. tube — a container
  17. sharp — clever
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. charge — a price
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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