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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. clip — a video
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. can — to be able to
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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