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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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bank — for money
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a dance
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pound — a weight
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chair — a professorship

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