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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. object — a thing
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — of the year
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. season — in sport
  8. ground — a position
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — hurry
  14. object — an aim
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ground — crushed
  19. object — to protest
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. capital — money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. cap — a hat
  24. capital — a city

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