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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. capital — money
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — a stone
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rock — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. scale — in music
  16. capital — a city
  17. chair — a leader
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chair — a professorship

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