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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fall — the season
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. capital — money
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mate — to breed
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. capital — a city
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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