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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. capital — a city
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mate — to breed
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitch — completely
  10. game — a match
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — money
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rash — a series
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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