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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pass — a permit
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fall — the season
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a partner
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. fall — to drop
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mate — a friend

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