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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. present — the time now
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. capital — a city
  7. present — there
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. kid — child
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rest — a break
  16. toast — bread
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rest — what's left
  21. capital — money
  22. present — a gift
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — a garden tool

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