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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. content — the amount
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. can — a tin
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. can — to be able to
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. vault — a safe
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. content — happy

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