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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. present — a gift
  3. cap — a lid
  4. capital — a city
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. toast — bread
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — a division
  20. capital — money
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. present — there

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