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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. toast — bread
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. snap — to click
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a round shape

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