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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — an injury
  21. file — a document
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. capital — a city
  24. pass — to succeed

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