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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: object · capital · present · ground · craft · swing · ruler · band

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. present — the time now
  3. band — a ring
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — a gift
  7. craft — boats
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. present — there
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. object — to protest
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. swing — to play on
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — a position
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — the earth
  20. object — a thing
  21. capital — money
  22. ground — crushed
  23. band — a music group
  24. capital — a city

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