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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 120 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cap — of ice
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — a grade
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. vault — a safe
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mark — a trace
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. march — music
  24. wave — with your hand

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