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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. capital — money
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pass — a permit
  15. capital — a city
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — the animal

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