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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 · foot · pop · mug · ruler · wave · file · vault

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pop — to visit
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — a safe
  5. file — a tool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a document
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mug — to rob
  11. capital — money
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pop — music
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pop — soda
  22. capital — a city
  23. file — a line of people
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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