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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. suit — in cards
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rock — music
  10. content — happy
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pop — music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. capital — a city
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. trunk — of a car

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