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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — to confront
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stand — to bear
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. face — part of the head
  14. hand — help
  15. roll — a list
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. face — to point toward
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. capital — money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hide — animal skin

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