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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. object — to protest
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — a cup
  9. capital — money
  10. board — a committee
  11. object — an aim
  12. craft — boats
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. object — a thing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. board — to get on
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — a skill
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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