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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 116 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: pass · craft · capital · pound · bear · sharp · vault · land

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pound — a weight
  8. land — a country
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bear — the animal
  12. land — to come down
  13. craft — a skill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. land — ground
  17. pass — a permit
  18. capital — a city
  19. craft — boats
  20. bear — the animal
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — a safe
  24. capital — money

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