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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 120 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: pass · nail · dip · court · club · cabinet · capital · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. club — a group
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. court — for sport
  11. capital — money
  12. court — of a king
  13. dip — to sink
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — of law
  16. tube — a container
  17. club — for golf
  18. tube — the underground
  19. capital — a city
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. club — for dancing
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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