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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: mark · capital · saw · current · vault · hide · calf · snap

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. capital — money
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. current — happening now
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. capital — a city
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. snap — to click
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mark — a grade

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