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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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468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — for money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rest — a break
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. capital — a city
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. capital — money
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rock — music

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