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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — after costs
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. capital — money
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — in sport
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. capital — a city
  17. charge — in control
  18. tube — the underground
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. charge — electricity
  22. net — for catching
  23. charge — a price
  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