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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 · mark · net · lash · fine · clip · vault · squash

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mark — a trace
  4. net — after costs
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mark — a grade
  8. clip — a video
  9. tube — a container
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. squash — the sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. fine — all right
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lash — an eyelash

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