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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: scale · deal · capital · pass · ball · plane · bound · nail

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — certain
  6. scale — size or range
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bound — tied together
  11. deal — to handle
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ball — a great time
  17. scale — in music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a city
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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