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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. plane — a tool
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. capital — a city
  11. chip — for betting
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chip — to eat
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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