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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. present — a gift
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cold — not warm
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. present — the time now
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rock — music
  18. capital — a city
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. capital — money
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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