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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — soda
  4. board — to get on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. capital — money
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. object — to protest
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — a committee
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — an aim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pop — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — a thing

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