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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 116 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: firm · vault · present · mouse · mark · spell · capital · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. firm — steady
  6. spell — magic
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — letters
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mark — a grade
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. capital — money
  17. present — a gift
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a city
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spell — a short time

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