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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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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: object · net · content · cue · wind · vault · row · can

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. net — in sport
  3. wind — moving air
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. content — the amount
  7. net — after costs
  8. row — to paddle
  9. content — happy
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — a signal
  15. can — a tin
  16. wind — moving air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. row — a line
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. net — for catching
  24. object — an aim

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