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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cap — a lid
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — to fit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wind — moving air

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