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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. capital — a city
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — to handle
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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