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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. can — a tin
  11. degree — temperature
  12. vault — a safe
  13. season — in sport
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. can — to be able to
  16. degree — from a university
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. season — to add flavour

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