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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. firm — a company
  9. capital — a city
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. firm — steady
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. capital — money
  24. wave — of the sea

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