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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — low music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — the underground
  15. vault — a safe
  16. saw — the tool
  17. object — to protest
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wax — to grow
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. object — a thing

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