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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. capital — a city
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bass — the fish
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. deal — to handle
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bass — low music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — boats
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a skill
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bear — the animal
  24. capital — money

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