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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — a safe
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bass — low music
  9. kick — in football
  10. net — in sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — for catching
  14. spell — letters
  15. can — a tin
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. spell — magic
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bass — the fish
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. net — after costs

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