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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 second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. capital — money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cap — a lid
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. capital — a city
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — to get on
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tube — the underground
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — a container
  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