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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. capital — money
  7. mark — a grade
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mug — a face
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. capital — a city
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fall — the season

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