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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. present — a gift
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. current — of water
  5. present — the time now
  6. current — happening now
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. vault — a safe
  9. capital — a city
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. tube — a container
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lean — thin
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. land — to come down
  19. tube — the underground
  20. current — electric
  21. present — there
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lean — to bend

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