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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. capital — money
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. vault — a safe
  7. capital — a city
  8. rash — hasty
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. key — in music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rash — a series
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. dip — to sink

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