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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. stock — goods
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mate — a friend
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stock — shares
  20. mate — a partner
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. vault — a safe

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