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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · firm · can · vault · mine · cold · bat · foot

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cold — not warm
  5. firm — a company
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. firm — steady
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cold — an illness

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