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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: capital · race · craft · mouse · suit · cue

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. capital — a city
  7. suit — clothes
  8. race — humankind
  9. cue — for pool
  10. craft — a skill
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — the animal

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