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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — to fit
  5. court — of law
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. capital — money
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mate — a friend
  12. capital — a city
  13. vault — a safe
  14. court — for sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. court — of a king
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ground — a position
  23. mate — a partner
  24. ground — the earth

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