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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — help
  4. can — to be able to
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. pop — soda
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pop — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. staff — employees
  24. vault — a safe

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