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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. capital — a city
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. capital — money
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mug — a face
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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