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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 · face · vault · mate · mouse · mine · track · craft

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mate — to breed
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mine — for digging
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. tube — a container
  16. face — to confront
  17. mate — a friend
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mate — a partner
  20. craft — a skill
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — a path
  23. craft — boats
  24. mouse — for a computer

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