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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: content · vault · plane · hide · tube · scale · ball · arm

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — the amount
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. scale — in music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. content — happy
  17. vault — a safe
  18. tube — a container
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ball — a dance
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. arm — a part of something

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