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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. capital — a city
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. present — a gift
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. season — in sport
  14. present — there
  15. capital — money
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. present — the time now
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rule — government
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — an injury

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