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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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Word bank
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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: vault · plane · tube · racket · rash · rest · toast · hide

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rest — a break
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. vault — a safe
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. plane — a tool
  17. tube — a container
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. tube — the underground

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