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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to click
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. race — a contest
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. foot — a measure
  13. press — a publisher
  14. can — a tin
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. race — humankind
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cap — a lid
  19. press — to push
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. race — the arms race
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. can — to be able to

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