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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.

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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. content — happy
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — clothes
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. suit — in cards
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. branch — a division
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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