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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 · calf · perch · capital · vault · saw · rest · stock

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — to fit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. capital — money
  5. vault — a safe
  6. perch — the fish
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rest — what's left
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rest — a break
  20. suit — in cards
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stock — shares
  23. capital — a city
  24. calf — a young animal

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