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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 120 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: track · bear · perch · squash · cue · vault · cabinet · capital

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. vault — a safe
  4. track — a song
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bear — the animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cue — for pool
  24. perch — for a bird

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