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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: mouse · stick · capital · current · mark · leaves · squash · nail

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. squash — to crush
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. capital — money
  6. current — happening now
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — electric
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. capital — a city
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — a grade

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