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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fork — in a road
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. last — finally
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. last — to go on
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cap — a hat
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mate — to breed
  24. last — final

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