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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 116 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: suit · present · can · deal · mine · stand · capital · wound

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. present — there
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — a gift
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. capital — a city
  13. present — the time now
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. deal — to handle
  24. capital — money

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