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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.

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: jam · object · plane · cap · capital · cue · wave · roll

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. capital — a city
  3. cue — a signal
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cue — a hint
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. object — an aim
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. capital — money
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. object — a thing
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — a tool
  23. roll — a list
  24. object — to protest

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