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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. object — an aim
  6. cold — not warm
  7. spell — magic
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. spell — letters
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cold — an illness
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. perch — the fish
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spell — a short time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — boats
  24. prune — to trim

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