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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: sharp · firm · capital · calf · vault · bay · stock · bulb

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. capital — money
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — decided
  7. bulb — for light
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — a company
  21. stock — shares
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — steady

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