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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mug — a face
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bound — certain
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mug — a cup
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rash — a series
  24. bound — obliged

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