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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mark — a trace
  4. track — a path
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rest — a break
  12. capital — money
  13. track — to keep track
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. track — a song
  17. capital — a city
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — of ice
  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