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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: sharp · tube · wound · vault · roll · pass · toast · stand

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. vault — a safe
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. roll — a cake
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. tube — the underground
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tube — a container
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. roll — a list
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. sharp — with an edge

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