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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hand — in cards
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stem — to come from
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hand — help

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