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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — a safe
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. ball — a dance
  17. capital — money
  18. file — a tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — a city
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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