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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · bay · vault · firm · wake · capital

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. toast — bread
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. capital — money
  17. firm — a company
  18. capital — a city

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