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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bass — low music
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a city
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. firm — steady
  11. bass — the fish
  12. firm — a company
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. roll — a cake
  16. firm — decided
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. capital — money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. roll — a list

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