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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. capital — a city
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. present — a gift
  7. track — to keep track
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. present — there
  11. march — the month
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. track — a path
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — a container
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — money
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — a horse colour

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