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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. toast — bread
  4. tube — a container
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. snap — to click
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. present — there
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. bowl — to roll

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