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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. vault — a safe
  6. dip — to sink
  7. can — to be able to
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mark — a grade
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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