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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bank — of a river
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. present — a gift
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. present — there
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fall — the season
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. present — the time now
  20. capital — a city
  21. wax — to grow
  22. face — to point toward
  23. capital — money
  24. toast — bread

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