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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. capital — money
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. firm — a company
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. tube — the underground
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — to fit
  11. deal — to handle
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. firm — decided
  14. chest — a box
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — a city
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chest — of your body
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. patient — a sick person

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