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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — money
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ground — the earth
  14. object — to protest
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — a thing
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. ground — a position
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — an aim
  21. capital — a city
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ground — crushed
  24. swing — in golf

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