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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: charge · vault · staff · bay · track · capital · bear · object

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. capital — a city
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — the animal
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. object — to protest
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. staff — employees
  18. charge — a price
  19. object — a thing
  20. capital — money
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. charge — electricity
  23. staff — employees
  24. track — a song

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