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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. board — to get on
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — a break
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — to handle
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ball — a dance
  19. capital — money
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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