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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. pound — a weight
  8. root — the cause
  9. capital — money
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. march — music
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — government
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. march — the month
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pit — in a race

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