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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · ruler · capital · cabinet · saw · fine · leaves · march

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. capital — a city
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. march — the month
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — high quality
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — all right
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. march — the month

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