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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bat — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. hand — help
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. hand — in cards
  11. tube — a container
  12. pound — a weight
  13. vault — a safe
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. tube — the underground
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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