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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. cap — a hat
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. present — a gift
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. capital — a city
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cap — a lid
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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