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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: capital · rock · vault · racket · toast · straw

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — a stone
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. capital — a city
  18. toast — bread

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