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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fine — high quality
  12. capital — a city
  13. cue — a hint
  14. capital — money
  15. pop — soda
  16. cue — a signal
  17. object — a thing
  18. pop — music
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — all right
  24. roll — on a roll

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