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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rock — music
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — a signal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pop — music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pop — soda
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pop — to visit
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cue — a hint
  20. face — part of the head
  21. capital — money
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. face — to confront

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