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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. lean — thin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. capital — a city
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — to bend
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. object — a thing
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. firm — steady
  15. capital — money
  16. object — an aim
  17. row — to paddle
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. object — to protest
  23. firm — a company
  24. row — a line

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