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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bound — tied together
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bound — certain
  21. chair — a leader
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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