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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — of ice
  3. press — to push
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cap — a hat
  12. content — the amount
  13. perch — the fish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — a safe
  18. content — happy
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. march — music
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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