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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — a safe
  4. can — to be able to
  5. march — the month
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — a video
  20. firm — a company
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. march — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chair — a professorship

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