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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.

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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: swing · ruler · pass · file · band · capital · squash · nail

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. file — a line of people
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — money
  7. band — a music group
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. squash — the sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. band — a ring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. file — a document
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. capital — a city
  23. squash — to crush
  24. file — a tool

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