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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. capital — a city
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. capital — money
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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