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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. capital — a city
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. can — a tin
  8. capital — money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to click
  12. pitch — completely
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. coach — a trainer

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