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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.

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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: cap · ruler · net · suit · plane · capital · rule · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rule — a law
  3. bore — to drill
  4. net — in sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. net — after costs
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rule — government
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a lid
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — a hat
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ruler — for measuring

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