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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — music
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — a break
  9. capital — a city
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bass — the fish
  18. capital — money
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. suit — in cards

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