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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — happy
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. roll — a cake
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. content — the amount
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. capital — a city
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. roll — a list
  24. capital — money

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