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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. march — music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. march — the month
  18. deal — to handle
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. march — the month
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stand — to bear

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