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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chip — for betting
  3. drill — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mug — to rob
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. capital — a city
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — a practice
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. capital — money
  20. mug — a face
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. drill — army training
  24. fork — to eat with

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