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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: firm · deal · capital · suit · hide · saw · lean · squash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. squash — the sport
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — steady
  13. lean — thin
  14. deal — to handle
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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