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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. capital — money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rest — what's left
  7. present — the time now
  8. cap — a lid
  9. capital — a city
  10. present — a gift
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — a break
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cap — a hat
  18. present — there
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lean — thin
  24. rush — hurry

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