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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fall — the season
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rule — government
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a city
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rule — a law
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. capital — money
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bear — the animal

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