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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. capital — a city
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bass — the fish
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pop — music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. craft — a skill
  15. capital — money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bass — low music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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