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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pit — in a race
  3. capital — a city
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. capital — money
  12. bass — low music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — hurry
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mug — a face
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mug — to rob
  24. chip — in a computer

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