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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — a city
  3. spring — the season
  4. kick — in football
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. capital — money
  9. spring — of water
  10. last — finally
  11. suit — to fit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spring — a coil
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. chair — a leader

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