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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: pound · vault · chair · suit · tube · firm

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. vault — a safe
  3. firm — steady
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. firm — a company
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chair — a leader
  9. tube — a container
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pound — a weight
  15. tube — the underground
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. firm — decided

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