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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.

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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: current · drill · capital · vault · rest · pass · ball · face

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. face — to confront
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rest — a break
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — happening now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — a permit
  12. capital — money
  13. vault — a safe
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. face — part of the head
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a dance
  20. current — electric
  21. capital — a city
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pass — to succeed

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