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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. season — in sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — hurry
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. tube — a container
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. season — of the year
  21. tube — the underground
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. can — to be able to

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