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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. capital — a city
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. capital — money
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. craft — boats
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pass — a permit

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