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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. can — a tin
  8. rock — music
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. squash — to crush
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. spring — the season
  17. vault — a safe
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rock — a stone
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. kick — with a leg

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