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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a path
  3. game — a match
  4. can — to be able to
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. game — wild animals
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. chest — of your body
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. object — an aim
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. object — to protest
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chest — a box
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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