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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rock · straw · pitcher · bank · charge · ball · vault

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. capital — a city
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ball — a great time
  6. capital — money
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bank — of a river
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. charge — a price

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