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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. firm — steady
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mug — a face
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — a tin
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. firm — decided
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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