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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. pit — a hole
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. capital — money
  8. current — of water
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. vault — a safe
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. kick — in football
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. current — electric
  24. wake — before a funeral

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