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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pass — a permit
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. court — of law
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. court — of a king
  12. roll — a list
  13. can — a tin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. roll — a cake
  18. root — of a word
  19. can — to be able to
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — for sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — the cause

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