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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. content — the amount
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wake — a trail
  5. land — to come down
  6. capital — money
  7. land — a country
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. capital — a city
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. land — ground
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — happy
  24. bay — a horse colour

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