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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. can — to be able to
  4. vault — a safe
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. content — happy
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rash — hasty
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — a series
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. toast — bread
  22. cap — a lid
  23. content — the amount
  24. racket — for tennis

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