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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — the season
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fall — to drop
  9. face — to confront
  10. capital — money
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. vault — a safe
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. capital — a city
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fall — to drop

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