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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. object — an aim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. capital — a city
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — clothes
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bound — tied together
  19. rush — hurry
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bound — certain
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — to fit

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