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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. field — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. capital — a city
  12. court — of a king
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. capital — money
  15. rule — a law
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bore — to tire
  19. court — for sport
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cue — a hint
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — government
  24. field — a subject

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