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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 124 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — a practice
  4. capital — a city
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rash — a series
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. roll — a list
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. capital — money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. roll — a cake
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rash — hasty
  24. drill — army training

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