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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · straw · safe · game · capital · cap · pop · object

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cap — a hat
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. object — a thing
  10. capital — a city
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a match
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pop — to visit
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. game — wild animals
  22. capital — money
  23. object — to protest
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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