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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. capital — a city
  5. march — the month
  6. club — a group
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fine — high quality
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. court — for sport
  13. march — the month
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. march — music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. club — for golf
  18. dip — to sink
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rush — hurry

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