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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: pitcher · plane · jam · lash · file · cap · tube · vault

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. tube — a container
  12. cap — a lid
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. file — a document
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. file — a tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. file — a line of people
  24. plane — a tool

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