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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 · content · vault · race · branch · bulb · board · pitch

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. content — the amount
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bulb — for light
  5. race — the arms race
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitch — completely
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — humankind
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. board — a committee
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cap — a hat
  20. branch — a division
  21. race — a contest
  22. content — happy
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — of a plant

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