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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. board — to get on
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a great time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fork — in a road
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ball — a dance
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. capital — a city
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — clothes
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — a garden tool

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