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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: hide · pitch · nail · deal · capital · plane · bay · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. deal — to handle
  8. capital — money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. capital — a city
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rock — music
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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