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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 116 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lean — thin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cue — a signal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. capital — money
  24. lie — an untruth

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