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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fall — to drop
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a city
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — a company
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rule — a law
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — a stone
  18. firm — decided
  19. rock — music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. firm — steady
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. rule — government

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