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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. capital — money
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. capital — a city
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rock — music
  24. pit — in a race

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