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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: can · capital · vault · suit · drill · saw · present · wake

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — army training
  8. suit — clothes
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — money
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — to fit
  15. present — the time now
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. capital — a city
  18. present — there
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. present — a gift
  22. wake — a trail
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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