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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: nail · capital · can · racket · plane · safe · bowl · scale

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — a tool

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