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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — boats
  5. net — after costs
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. net — for catching
  10. wax — to grow
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — in sport
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. craft — a skill
  22. can — a tin
  23. cue — a signal
  24. foot — part of the body

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