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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chair — a leader
  5. land — a country
  6. firm — decided
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — ground
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. firm — a company
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. land — to come down
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — steady
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. capital — money
  24. rock — music

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