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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 120 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: capital · nail · foot · rule · cap · wound · cabinet · ground

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ground — a position
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ground — crushed
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. cap — a hat
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ground — the earth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rule — a law
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. capital — a city
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. capital — money

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