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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. field — a subject
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. vault — a safe
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. can — to be able to
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. field — for sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. field — farmland
  21. bass — the fish
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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