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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — money
  7. bulb — for light
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. file — a tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. capital — a city
  18. shower — rain
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. file — a document
  21. lie — to recline
  22. shower — to wash
  23. craft — boats
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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