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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
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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: jam · capital · tube · vault · track · field · court · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. court — of a king
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. vault — a safe
  10. capital — a city
  11. court — of law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. capital — money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a song
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. track — to keep track
  18. court — for sport
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. field — a subject
  21. tube — the underground
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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