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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.

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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: spell · leaves · mine · can · kid · present · rest · vault

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — there
  6. rest — a break
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. can — a tin
  9. kid — to tease
  10. present — the time now
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. spell — letters
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mine — for digging
  17. vault — a safe
  18. can — a tin
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kid — child
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. spell — a short time
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. present — a gift

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