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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: capital · plane · calf · swing · sharp · nail · rash · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rash — hasty
  4. plane — a tool
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. capital — a city
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — a series
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — for a hammer
  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