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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 116 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stand — to bear
  7. kid — to tease
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kick — in football
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. can — to be able to

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