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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. drill — the tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cue — for pool
  6. capital — money
  7. drill — army training
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. capital — a city
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. drill — a practice
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — a hint
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. can — a tin
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. capital — a big letter

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