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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. court — of a king
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stem — to come from
  10. ground — a position
  11. squash — the sport
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — a tin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. court — for sport
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. court — of law
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. squash — the vegetable

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