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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cold — an illness
  6. cold — not warm
  7. race — the arms race
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — a contest
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. can — to be able to
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. race — humankind
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. foot — the bottom

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