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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. firm — a company
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. deal — to handle
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — steady
  16. capital — a city
  17. march — music
  18. capital — money
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — clothes
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bat — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — a lid

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