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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. capital — a city
  5. chair — a leader
  6. tube — the underground
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. capital — money
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. tube — a container
  22. last — to go on
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mug — a face

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