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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. content — the amount
  5. squash — the sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — happy
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fan — a supporter

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