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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. last — finally
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. track — to keep track
  6. capital — a city
  7. lean — to bend
  8. current — happening now
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — a committee
  11. lean — thin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. current — electric
  16. track — a path
  17. current — of water
  18. board — to get on
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. track — a song
  22. last — final
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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