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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. spell — a short time
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. can — a tin
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a great time
  9. branch — a division
  10. spell — letters
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. spell — magic
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a dance

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