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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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — money
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. press — newspapers
  10. capital — a city
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — to push
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — the fish
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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