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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — to fit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — a container
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — hurry
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. root — the cause
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — of a word
  21. snap — to click
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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