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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.

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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: arm · capital · mouse · dip · ruler · deal · wake · nail

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. deal — to handle
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. capital — money
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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