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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. object — to protest
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spring — the season
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. firm — decided
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — a thing
  12. vault — a safe
  13. firm — steady
  14. object — an aim
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — a company
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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