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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.

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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pop — soda
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pop — to visit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a song
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — a path
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pop — music
  24. capital — a big letter

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