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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. firm — a company
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bass — low music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. capital — money
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — government
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — a law
  22. land — a country
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. firm — decided

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