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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: stand · nail · squash · lean · capital · drill · cabinet · stick

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. capital — money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. drill — army training
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. drill — the tool
  18. stand — to bear
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lean — to bend
  23. drill — a practice
  24. squash — the sport

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