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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 120 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 second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. press — newspapers
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pit — in a race
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. press — to push
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. club — for golf
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bore — to tire

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