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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rash — a series
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cap — a lid
  14. capital — a city
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cap — a hat
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rash — hasty

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