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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. capital — money
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mug — a face
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. court — of law
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. capital — a city
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mug — a cup
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — for sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. court — of a king
  23. rock — music
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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