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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a dance
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — all right
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — hurry
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cue — a signal

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