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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · pass · racket · bulb · pound · vault

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tear — to rip

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