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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bank — for money
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. present — the time now
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a cup
  15. content — the amount
  16. suit — to fit
  17. content — happy
  18. bank — of a river
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mug — to rob
  23. capital — money
  24. suit — clothes

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