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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — for money
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — steady
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. capital — a city
  18. scale — size or range
  19. firm — decided
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — of a river
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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