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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 116 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: snap · bear · perch · current · track · object · vault · capital

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. snap — to click
  3. object — an aim
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. track — a path
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bear — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — money
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. object — to protest
  17. track — a song
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. object — a thing
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. perch — the fish
  23. capital — a city
  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