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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. capital — a city
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pass — a permit
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bank — of a river
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — the arms race
  13. club — a group
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bank — for money
  19. race — a contest
  20. capital — money
  21. bat — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. race — humankind

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