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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.

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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. club — a group
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — money
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — in cards
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — to fit
  13. capital — a city
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. firm — decided
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — wild animals
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. game — a match
  21. firm — steady
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — for dancing

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