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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: nail · suit · pop · cap · racket · rock · march · can

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. suit — in cards
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — music
  7. pop — music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. can — a tin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — soda
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — clothes
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pop — to visit
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cap — a lid

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