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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.

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: pit · vault · suit · calf · capital · fan · mouse · key

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. key — the most important part
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pit — a hole
  8. capital — a city
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. key — in music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. suit — to fit
  17. capital — money
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. 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