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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: club · bear · pitcher · squash · ruler · capital · plane · bass

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bear — the animal
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. club — for dancing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the sport
  14. club — a group
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — for golf
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bass — the fish

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