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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: tear · fine · leaves · tube · saw · vault · fork · perch

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. saw — the tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — a safe
  9. tube — the underground
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. tube — a container
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. perch — the fish
  24. tear — to rip

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