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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. vault — a safe
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — money
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bank — of a river

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