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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: dip · pound · vault · stick · last · can · content · plane

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. content — happy
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. last — finally
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. last — final
  15. can — a tin
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. plane — a tool
  18. last — to go on
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — a weight
  24. content — the amount

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