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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.

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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: bulb · staff · rash · mine · capital · vault · charge · calf

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mine — for digging
  8. capital — money
  9. staff — employees
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. staff — a stick
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rash — a series
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — a safe
  21. capital — a city
  22. staff — employees
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rash — on the skin

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