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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — a city
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wake — a trail
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. capital — money
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. vault — a safe

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