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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. capital — a city
  3. cue — a signal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. capital — money
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cue — for pool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cue — a hint
  17. charge — a price
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. tube — a container
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — for light
  23. vault — a safe
  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