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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. can — a tin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — a city
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. board — to get on
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. can — to be able to
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. capital — money
  18. branch — a division
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. board — a committee

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