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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pitch — completely
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — obliged
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bound — certain
  13. vault — a safe
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a path
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. track — to keep track
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bound — tied together
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. track — a song

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