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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — in control
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. sharp — clever
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. capital — money
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. capital — a city
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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