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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 · perch · vault · rush · wound · pass · fall · mine

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mine — for digging
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — hurry
  13. tube — a container
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fall — to drop
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — the season
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pass — to spend time

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