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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pop — music
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. capital — a city
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. coach — a trainer

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