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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mug — to rob
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pound — a weight
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. capital — a city
  13. mug — a face
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. capital — money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. leaves — lets stay

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