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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. clip — a video
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. clip — to cut
  9. object — a thing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — to get on
  12. clip — for paper
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. capital — a city
  15. perch — the fish
  16. object — to protest
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. object — an aim
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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