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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: saw · vault · leaves · land · capital · club · cabinet · toast

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. vault — a safe
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. land — ground
  6. saw — the tool
  7. land — to come down
  8. capital — a city
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. capital — money
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. club — for dancing
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. club — a group
  19. toast — bread
  20. club — for golf
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. land — a country

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