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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · capital · vault · bowl · suit · coach

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — a city
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. vault — a safe
  15. capital — money
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. capital — a big letter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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