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

Word bank: racket · stand · vault · kick · temple · content · cap · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. can — to be able to
  4. content — the amount
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. content — happy
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cap — of ice
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cap — a hat
  17. kick — in football
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stand — to bear
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kick — a thrill

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