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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. club — for dancing
  3. capital — money
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. cap — a hat
  7. capital — a city
  8. club — a group
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. snap — to click
  18. stand — to bear
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cap — a lid

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