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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. net — after costs
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. branch — a division
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. net — for catching
  7. race — a contest
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. capital — a city
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stand — to bear
  17. race — humankind
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cap — of ice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. net — in sport
  24. cap — a hat

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