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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.

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: squash · field · capital · vault · lean · fan · pass · staff

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. field — for sport
  3. lean — to bend
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. staff — employees
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. capital — a city
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. field — farmland
  14. staff — employees
  15. pass — a permit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lean — thin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. field — a subject
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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