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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 116 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: mark · deal · rock · capital · trunk · nail · present · can

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mark — a trace
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — to handle
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. rock — a stone
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. present — the time now

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