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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cue — for pool
  5. capital — money
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — a signal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. root — the cause
  11. ground — a position
  12. key — in music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ground — the earth
  19. key — the most important part
  20. root — of a word
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. capital — a city
  24. key — for a lock

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