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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — a city
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — in control
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. scale — size or range
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. charge — electricity
  24. scale — in music

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