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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. can — to be able to
  4. capital — a city
  5. saw — the tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stand — to bear
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. squash — to crush
  17. capital — money
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — a match
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — the sport
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. game — a kind of play

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