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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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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. pass — a permit
  16. object — a thing
  17. mark — a grade
  18. object — to protest
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. cap — a hat
  24. nail — for a hammer

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