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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 · fall · wave · bear · bowl · tube · leaves · bore

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. tube — a container
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  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