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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bass — low music
  10. rule — government
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. charge — a price
  14. capital — a city
  15. date — the fruit
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — to bend
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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