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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. club — a group
  8. press — newspapers
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. club — for golf
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. press — to push
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rock — a stone
  18. capital — a city
  19. club — for dancing
  20. capital — money
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. press — a publisher

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