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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. capital — money
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — in cards
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. fall — to drop
  10. capital — a city
  11. craft — a skill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. game — a match
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fall — the season
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — boats
  24. game — wild animals

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