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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — clothes
  4. plane — a tool
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. capital — a city
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — to drop
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fall — the season
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. scale — in music
  18. vault — a safe
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. capital — money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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