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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · key · chip · chest · vault · leaves · tube · bass

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bass — low music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chest — of your body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. tube — a container
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chest — of your body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — in music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chest — a box
  23. chip — to eat
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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