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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a hat
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cap — of ice
  7. capital — a city
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rule — a law
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. capital — money
  13. present — there
  14. cap — a lid
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rule — government
  20. suit — to fit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. present — the time now

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