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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. scale — size or range
  3. capital — a city
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — in golf
  7. land — to come down
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. land — a country
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. swing — to play on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. land — ground
  16. tear — from crying
  17. scale — in music
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. swing — music
  21. tear — to rip
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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