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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. capital — a city
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. mate — a friend
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — a path
  19. suit — clothes
  20. club — for dancing
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. club — for golf
  23. mate — a partner
  24. club — a group

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