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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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. file — a line of people
  3. staff — employees
  4. rock — a stone
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. capital — a city
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bass — the fish
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — a permit
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — money
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bass — low music
  24. file — a document

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