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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: capital · ball · can · pop · rock · vault · kick · cue

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — to visit
  5. capital — money
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — a city
  10. cue — a signal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. can — to be able to
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — in football
  19. can — a tin
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ball — a great time
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. kick — with a leg

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