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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a great time
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ball — a dance
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — for betting
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pop — soda
  12. can — to be able to
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chip — to eat
  16. root — the cause
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pop — to visit
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pop — music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. can — a tin

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