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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
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: bore · firm · lie · tube · can · game · fork · vault

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — to tire
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. tube — a container
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bore — to drill
  22. game — a match
  23. fork — in a road
  24. firm — decided

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