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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 · foot · mug · roll · swing · wound · can · clip

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. swing — to play on
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — a face
  9. can — a tin
  10. swing — music
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wound — an injury
  16. clip — a video
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. vault — a safe
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. foot — part of the body

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