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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lean — to bend
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lean — thin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a skill
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. craft — boats
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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