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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · toast · capital · saw · ball · object · chair · patient

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. capital — money
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chair — a leader
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — bread
  24. object — a thing

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