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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bear — the animal
  5. capital — a city
  6. date — the fruit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. capital — money
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. club — a group
  24. date — on the calendar

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