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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · swing · can · bore · staff · mug · wake · vault

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. swing — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kid — to tease
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. swing — in golf
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — to rob
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mug — a face
  19. wake — a trail
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — to drill
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bore — to tire

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