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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 120 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. face — to confront
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. capital — a city
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — part of the head
  21. race — humankind
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. face — to point toward
  24. deal — a big deal

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