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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. content — happy
  10. can — a tin
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. hand — help
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. content — the amount

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