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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. capital — a city
  4. toast — bread
  5. face — to point toward
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. foot — a measure
  9. face — part of the head
  10. capital — money
  11. face — to confront
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  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