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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. club — for golf
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — a container
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. club — for dancing
  17. ball — a great time
  18. track — to keep track
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. track — a song
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. club — a group
  23. track — a path
  24. pitcher — a jug

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