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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: root · lie · mug · bat · nail · capital · pitcher · bank

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. root — of a word
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — of a river
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. root — the cause
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mug — a face
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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