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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. last — finally
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. roll — a cake
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. last — to go on
  11. roll — a list
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. can — to be able to
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. capital — money
  21. last — final
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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