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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: toast · bay · vault · firm · wake · capital · roll · fan

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. firm — steady
  4. wake — a trail
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. roll — a cake
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — a city
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. firm — a company
  17. vault — a safe
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. roll — a list
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fan — a supporter

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