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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. can — to be able to
  3. shower — rain
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chair — a leader
  6. shower — to wash
  7. can — a tin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mug — a face
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mug — to rob
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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