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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. capital — a city
  3. wind — moving air
  4. court — of a king
  5. object — an aim
  6. capital — money
  7. court — of law
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bank — for money
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. object — a thing
  18. bank — for money
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. object — to protest
  21. court — for sport
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bank — of a river
  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