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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: bass · dip · vault · tube · coach · leaves · clip · cap

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — the fish
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. clip — for paper
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bass — low music
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — a video
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cap — a lid
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — to dunk

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