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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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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 · plane · firm · swing · stick · bay · spring · clip

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. capital — money
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. swing — music
  12. spring — a coil
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — decided
  21. capital — a city
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. swing — to play on

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