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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. march — the month
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. march — the month
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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