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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. face — to point toward
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — of a river
  12. track — a song
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — for money
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fine — all right
  18. track — a path
  19. capital — a city
  20. bore — to drill
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. mark — a trace
  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