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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. capital — money
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. squash — to crush
  13. chip — for betting
  14. capital — a city
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bound — certain
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bound — tied together
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bound — obliged
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. leaves — lets stay

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