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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: bound · bay · capital · fork · vault · ground · field · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. field — a subject
  5. bound — obliged
  6. capital — money
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. bound — tied together
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. field — farmland
  18. capital — a city
  19. ground — a position
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bound — certain
  24. vault — a safe

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