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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: squash · drill · plane · suit · scale · can · wind · capital

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. scale — size or range
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. drill — army training
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. wind — moving air
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. suit — clothes
  20. squash — to crush
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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