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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · nail · capital · can · jam · tube · rule · racket

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — government
  4. capital — a city
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rule — a law
  20. capital — money
  21. tube — a container
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fine — all right

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