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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · racket · deal · cabinet · ground · sharp · wax · vault

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ground — the earth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tube — a container
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wax — to grow
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — a safe
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ground — a position
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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