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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. capital — money
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pit — in a race
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. chest — a box
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pit — a hole
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. toast — bread
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stand — to bear

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