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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · suit · mark · straw · capital · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. mark — a trace
  6. capital — money
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cell — in biology
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a grade
  17. capital — a city
  18. straw — a straw man

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