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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. capital — a city
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. current — happening now
  9. capital — money
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. lean — thin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. vault — a safe
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — after costs
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. net — for catching
  20. current — of water
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. net — in sport
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. current — electric

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