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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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Word bank
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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: last · stick · capital · fork · mouse · vault

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — finally
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — final
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mouse — the animal

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