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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 124 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. land — a country
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stand — to bear
  6. land — to come down
  7. rock — music
  8. staff — employees
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. capital — money
  12. land — ground
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rock — a stone
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bass — low music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. staff — employees

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