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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. capital — a city
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. capital — money
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — for betting
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. capital — a big letter

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