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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 116 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: sharp · rush · kick · nail · wave · capital · pit · cap

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cap — a lid
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. kick — in football
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cap — a hat
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. capital — a city
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a hole
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rush — hurry
  23. capital — money
  24. wave — with your hand

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