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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — thin
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lean — to bend
  8. capital — a city
  9. mug — a face
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mug — a cup
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rule — government
  17. can — a tin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wake — a trail
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — a law

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