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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: nail · capital · tube · object · field · mouse · wake · mark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. object — an aim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. field — for sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — farmland
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — a trail
  12. capital — a city
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — a thing
  17. field — a subject
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tube — the underground
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. tube — a container
  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