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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 second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. swing — in golf
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — certain
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. march — the month
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. can — a tin
  16. swing — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. swing — to play on

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