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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — to handle
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. suit — to fit
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — money
  9. vault — a safe
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. root — of a word
  12. wound — an injury
  13. suit — clothes
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — the cause
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. suit — in cards
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. deal — a big deal

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