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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bass — low music
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chip — to eat
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ball — a great time
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — to get on
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. toast — bread
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stand — to bear

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