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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 116 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: tube · deal · nail · land · pitch · capital · cabinet · fine

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — a container
  4. pitch — completely
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. tube — the underground
  12. land — a country
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fine — high quality
  21. land — ground
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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