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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: capital · lie · rule · key · vault · net · track · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. net — after costs
  3. capital — money
  4. vault — a safe
  5. toast — bread
  6. net — in sport
  7. track — a path
  8. rule — a law
  9. track — a song
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lie — to recline
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rule — government
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. capital — a city
  18. key — for a lock
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. key — in music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. net — for catching

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