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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: bowl · bulb · capital · nail · mark · pitch · deal · bay

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. capital — money
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. capital — a city
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. deal — to handle
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. capital — a big letter
  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