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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · perch · rock · game · suit · can · content · chest

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. game — wild animals
  4. content — happy
  5. chest — a box
  6. suit — clothes
  7. vault — a safe
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — music
  11. content — the amount
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. can — to be able to
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — a stone

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