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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cap — of ice
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. last — final
  14. cue — for pool
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — tied together
  18. roll — a list
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. mug — a face
  22. capital — a city
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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