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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · pass · bowl · foot · pitcher · dip · ruler · present

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. capital — a city
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — a gift
  15. capital — money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bowl — a dish

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