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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. spell — letters
  4. capital — a city
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. vault — a safe
  9. kid — child
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. capital — money
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — magic
  23. kid — to tease
  24. capital — a big letter

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