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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: dip · pass · tear · fine · mark · nail · shower · capital

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pass — a permit
  9. capital — money
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. tear — from crying
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fine — all right
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — rain
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tear — to rip
  22. shower — to wash
  23. tear — from crying
  24. dip — to dunk

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