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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cap — of ice
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. capital — money
  9. net — in sport
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — a company
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cap — a hat
  15. club — a group
  16. capital — a city
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. net — for catching
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — steady
  21. net — after costs
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — decided
  24. capital — a big letter

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