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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — a container
  15. ground — crushed
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ground — the earth

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