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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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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: board · racket · plane · cabinet · content · capital · arm · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. capital — a city
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. content — the amount
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — money
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. content — happy

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