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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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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: cap · perch · dip · cue · capital · mouse · vault · ruler

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. capital — a city
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cue — a hint
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cue — a signal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — the fish
  23. capital — money
  24. vault — a safe

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