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

Word bank: mouse · fine · tear · cue · club · capital · bowl · toast

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tear — to rip
  10. cue — a signal
  11. toast — bread
  12. fine — all right
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tear — from crying
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. capital — money
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. club — for golf

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