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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: capital · ball · squash · branch · pass · rash · vault · craft

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pass — a permit
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. capital — a city
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. squash — to crush
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ball — a great time
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rash — a series
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. capital — money
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pass — to succeed

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