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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: wave · roll · capital · squash · pit · nail · racket · lie

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — in a race
  12. squash — to crush
  13. roll — a list
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. squash — the sport
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. capital — money
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. roll — a cake
  20. capital — a city
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — on a finger

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