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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stand — to bear
  3. capital — a city
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — decided
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pop — music
  10. firm — steady
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pop — soda
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — for pool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. cue — a signal
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. firm — a company
  21. cue — a hint
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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