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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · present · lie · capital · nail · wave · pitcher · row

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fine — high quality
  3. capital — a city
  4. present — the time now
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. present — there
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. capital — money
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a line
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lie — to recline

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