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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 124 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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. key — in music
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. capital — money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. shower — rain
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. key — the most important part
  16. game — wild animals
  17. toast — bread
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — a match
  23. capital — a city
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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