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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. file — a line of people
  9. present — a gift
  10. file — a tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. file — a document
  13. degree — temperature
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. present — the time now
  16. degree — an amount
  17. club — for golf
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. present — there
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stand — to bear
  23. vault — a safe
  24. degree — from a university

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