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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: date · key · pop · calf · lie · vault · rock · capital

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. vault — a safe
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. key — the most important part
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rock — music
  23. key — in music
  24. pop — soda

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