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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kid — to tease
  6. can — a tin
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. kid — child
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — size or range
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. date — the fruit
  18. scale — in music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cell — in biology
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rock — a stone
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — music

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