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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. file — a document
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. file — a tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. fine — high quality
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — a container
  24. file — a line of people

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