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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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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 · capital · ruler · mouse · racket · deal · chest · plane

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chest — a box
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. capital — money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. chest — of your body
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. capital — a city

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