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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a dance
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. swing — music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. vault — a safe
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ball — a great time
  24. tube — in a tire

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