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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. game — a match
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. capital — a city
  10. charge — a price
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — in control
  19. pound — a weight
  20. degree — from a university
  21. can — to be able to
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. degree — an amount
  24. capital — money

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