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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — money
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. capital — a city
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — a safe
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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