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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: staff · ball · wound · vault · tube · dip · pitch · date

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. tube — a container
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — to sink
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. tube — the underground
  10. staff — employees
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pitch — completely
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. staff — employees
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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