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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: pit · vault · tube · squash · lash · fine · mine · bear

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pit — a hole
  4. tube — a container
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. vault — a safe
  24. squash — to crush

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