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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. can — to be able to
  3. vault — a safe
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. can — a tin
  13. fall — the season
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. can — a tin
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mine — for digging
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. scale — in music
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fall — to drop

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