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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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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: pit · capital · bound · mouse · bear · vault · spell · rock

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rock — music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. spell — letters
  9. capital — money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. capital — a city
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — magic
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bound — tied together

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