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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.

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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ball — a dance
  5. vault — a safe
  6. tube — a container
  7. file — a document
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. current — happening now
  12. mug — a face
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. current — electric
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tube — the underground
  18. file — a tool
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rock — music
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ball — a great time

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