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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. firm — decided
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stem — to come from
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. firm — a company
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. plane — a tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. suit — clothes

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