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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cue — a signal
  4. capital — a city
  5. cue — for pool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. capital — money
  17. club — a group
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cap — a hat
  21. club — for golf
  22. cap — a lid
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. cue — a hint

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