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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
468
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: rest · capital · suit · snap · nail · spring · cue · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — in cards
  3. capital — money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — the season
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — to fit
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rest — a break
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spring — of water
  15. roll — a cake
  16. cue — for pool
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. roll — a list
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. cue — a hint
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to click

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