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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — for catching
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — a tin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chest — of your body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chest — a box
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. can — a tin

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