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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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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: swing · fork · bear · pass · can · suit · vault · capital

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. capital — a city
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. swing — to play on
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. can — to be able to
  12. swing — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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