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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
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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 · vault · club · wound · roll · suit · pit · game

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — a match
  6. roll — a list
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pit — in a race
  10. club — for dancing
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — the underground
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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