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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — a city
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bark — to shout
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — money
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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