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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. object — to protest
  5. plane — a tool
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. capital — a city
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. club — a group
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. capital — money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. club — for golf

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