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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. capital — a city
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — money
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rule — government
  11. net — in sport
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. net — for catching
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mug — a face
  17. net — after costs
  18. cap — of ice

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