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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.

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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. face — to confront
  13. march — music
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — to rob
  16. capital — money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. capital — a city
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. vault — a safe

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