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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hand — help
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. capital — a city
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chair — a leader
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. capital — money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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