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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · ball · capital · pass · cabinet · vault · row · game

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. suit — to fit
  6. row — a line
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. capital — a city
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ball — a great time
  17. vault — a safe
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ball — a round shape

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