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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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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 · vault · tube · ball · key · ground · content · bass

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. content — the amount
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ground — the earth
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tube — a container
  8. bass — low music
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — in music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ground — a position
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bass — the fish
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ball — a great time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ground — crushed
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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