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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mate — a friend
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wax — to grow
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — a safe
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. capital — money
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mate — a partner
  24. foot — a measure

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