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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rash — hasty
  3. face — part of the head
  4. current — happening now
  5. face — to point toward
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rash — a series
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. current — of water
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. face — to confront
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. current — electric
  21. fork — in a road
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fork — a garden tool

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