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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. last — to go on
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. tube — a container
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. last — finally
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. last — final
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pass — a permit

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