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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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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: saw · capital · cue · cap · wave · cabinet · drill · firm

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. cap — a hat
  2. cue — for pool
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cap — of ice
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. firm — a company
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cap — a lid
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cue — a signal
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. drill — the tool
  23. firm — steady
  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