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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. capital — a city
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bound — tied together
  10. net — in sport
  11. tear — from crying
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. net — for catching
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — a permit
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bound — certain
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. capital — money
  24. net — after costs

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