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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rock — music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. club — for dancing
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — a group
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rock — a stone
  16. branch — a division
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. capital — money
  21. drill — army training
  22. club — for golf
  23. capital — a city
  24. suit — to fit

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