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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. land — ground
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — to be able to
  5. spell — a short time
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. can — a tin
  9. present — the time now
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. present — there
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. land — to come down
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — magic
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. vault — a safe
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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