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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. capital — a city
  3. vault — a safe
  4. root — of a word
  5. lie — to recline
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. fall — the season
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mug — a face
  18. capital — money
  19. root — the cause
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — a cup
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fall — to drop

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