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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 second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. capital — a city
  9. ball — a great time
  10. swing — music
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — humankind
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. race — a contest
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — clothes
  24. craft — boats

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