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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cap — a lid
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. charge — a price
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. charge — in control
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a city
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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