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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pass — a permit
  6. toast — bread
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. capital — a city
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. capital — money
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. firm — steady
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spell — magic
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a grade
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. nail — on a finger

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