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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: cap · capital · nail · dip · wake · pass · plane · pitch

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. plane — a tool
  4. capital — money
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitch — completely
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — a sauce
  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