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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. foot — a measure
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. squash — to crush
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rule — government
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. capital — a city
  20. rule — a law
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rule — to rule out

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