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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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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 · last · object · rock · ground · mug · dip · can

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rock — music
  4. mug — a face
  5. ground — crushed
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ground — a position
  8. mug — to rob
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mug — a cup
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. ground — the earth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. dip — to sink
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. object — a thing
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. object — to protest
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — an aim
  24. last — to go on

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