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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. dip — to sink
  4. firm — steady
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cap — of ice
  8. staff — a stick
  9. capital — a city
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. firm — decided
  12. staff — employees
  13. capital — money
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cap — a hat
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. firm — a company
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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