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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: rash · trunk · cap · ruler · ground · capital · key · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. key — in music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ground — a position
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ground — crushed
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cap — of ice
  14. capital — a city
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rash — a series
  24. capital — money

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