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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 116 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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a city
  5. chair — a leader
  6. spring — a coil
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — money
  13. suit — clothes
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — a container
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — in cards

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