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

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. spring — the season
  7. hand — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spring — of water
  14. hand — help
  15. present — a gift
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stock — goods
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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