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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: mouse · vault · present · capital · wave · bound · bear · coach

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — the time now
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bound — certain
  12. present — a gift
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bound — tied together
  17. capital — a city
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bear — the animal
  20. capital — money
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — with your hand

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