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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: plane · pit · toast · capital · ruler · bore

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. toast — bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bore — to drill
  13. capital — money
  14. pit — in a race
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pit — a hole

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