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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. vault — a safe
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. season — of the year
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. season — in sport
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — a subject
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a city
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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