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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — an aim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. capital — a city
  6. object — a thing
  7. cap — a hat
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mug — a cup
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — of ice
  13. deal — to handle
  14. capital — money
  15. object — to protest
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mug — to rob
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. dip — to sink

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