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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — a hint
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. capital — money
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cue — for pool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. row — a line
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bass — the fish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. capital — a city
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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