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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rock — music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cap — a hat
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rock — a stone
  11. vault — a safe
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cap — a lid
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. kick — in football
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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