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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. swing — music
  3. file — a tool
  4. vault — a safe
  5. last — finally
  6. mug — to rob
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. last — final
  11. capital — money
  12. march — music
  13. file — a document
  14. march — the month
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mug — a cup
  19. march — the month
  20. capital — a city
  21. stand — to bear
  22. swing — in golf
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mug — a face

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