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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wake — a trail
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — the season
  6. capital — a city
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. spring — a coil
  9. current — happening now
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spring — of water
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — to keep track
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. capital — money
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bank — of a river
  24. vault — a safe

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