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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: capital · saw · race · bowl · ball · vault · charge · plane

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. race — a contest
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. vault — a safe
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. race — the arms race
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. capital — money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — humankind
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. capital — a city
  24. ball — a round shape

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