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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a city
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. spell — letters
  10. pound — a weight
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. band — a ring
  14. capital — money
  15. club — for dancing
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — magic
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — to be able to
  22. band — a music group
  23. chip — for betting
  24. club — for 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