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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
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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: wound · fork · firm · sharp · degree · tube · vault · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. tube — a container
  3. sharp — clever
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. degree — from a university
  7. track — a path
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. degree — temperature
  11. track — to keep track
  12. firm — steady
  13. wound — an injury
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fork — in a road
  16. degree — an amount
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. tube — the underground
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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