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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cap — a lid
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. capital — money
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a leader
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. can — a tin
  19. cap — of ice
  20. capital — a city
  21. bank — for money
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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