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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: nail · capital · fork · plane · shower · sharp · object · deal

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. shower — to wash
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — to protest
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. capital — money
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. capital — a city
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. plane — a tool
  23. shower — rain
  24. fork — a garden 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