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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a city
  5. roll — a cake
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. drill — the tool
  10. roll — a list
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. drill — army training
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fork — in a road
  24. roll — on a roll

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