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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
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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: rash · cell · lie · capital · jam · wake · spell · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — letters
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — magic
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rash — a series
  14. capital — money
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cell — a phone
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rash — hasty

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