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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. capital — money
  18. object — to protest
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — a trail
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — to handle

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