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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 120 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 · lean · pound · firm · foot · tube · vault · staff

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mine — for digging
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. firm — a company
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pound — a weight
  12. staff — a stick
  13. foot — a measure
  14. lean — thin
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. staff — employees
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lean — to bend
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. staff — employees

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