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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. capital — money
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pop — music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. capital — a city
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — to visit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. pop — soda
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — in cards
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a hat

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