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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mug — a cup
  3. file — a tool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. march — music
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. file — a line of people
  8. board — to get on
  9. capital — a city
  10. pass — a permit
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. march — the month
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mug — to rob
  15. suit — in cards
  16. march — the month
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. capital — money
  21. board — a committee
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — clothes

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