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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: mine · rest · suit · toast · bass · stick · tube · vault

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — clothes
  3. tube — the underground
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rest — a break
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. toast — bread

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