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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — a tin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wound — an injury
  7. craft — boats
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ball — a great time
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fine — high quality

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