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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.

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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: deal · content · tube · pit · cue · file · vault · bound

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. file — a tool
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. deal — to handle
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — certain
  11. content — the amount
  12. file — a document
  13. cue — for pool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pit — a hole
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bound — tied together
  24. tube — a container

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