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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. content — the amount
  12. rule — a law
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. suit — to fit
  15. can — a tin
  16. content — happy
  17. court — of a king
  18. can — a tin
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. court — of law
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. court — for sport
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rule — government

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