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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. firm — a company
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. firm — decided
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. shower — rain
  14. swing — to play on
  15. vault — a safe
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — music
  18. pitch — completely
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. hand — help
  21. shower — to wash
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. hand — in cards
  24. swing — in golf

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