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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. capital — money
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. vault — a safe
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cap — a hat
  9. plane — a tool
  10. capital — a city
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. fall — to drop
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fall — the season
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cap — a lid
  24. plane — in geometry

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