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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: wind · lie · cue · mouse · nail · coach · safe · capital

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. capital — a city
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. capital — money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mouse — the animal

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