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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
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 · vault · chair · leaves · coach · row · safe · current

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — a safe
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — happening now
  11. chair — a leader
  12. capital — money
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. capital — a city
  18. row — to paddle
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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