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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bore — to tire
  4. net — for catching
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rock — music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fine — high quality
  12. can — a tin
  13. degree — from a university
  14. band — a music group
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — after costs
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. net — in sport
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fine — all right
  22. band — a ring
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bore — to drill

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