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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — to eat
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. degree — an amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — a tin
  16. bore — to drill
  17. degree — temperature
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — from a university
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rest — a break
  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