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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: suit · vault · capital · bank · pass · wind · rock · plane

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. wind — moving air
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pass — a permit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — a safe
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. suit — in cards

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