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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. capital — money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. march — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. capital — a city
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lie — to recline
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — in a road
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — decided
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. fork — to eat with

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