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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. capital — money
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. capital — a city
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. deal — to handle
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — to bear
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rest — what's left
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. can — to be able to
  24. sharp — exactly

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