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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
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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: mate · track · fan · capital · cabinet · lie · bowl · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. track — a path
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. firm — steady
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. capital — a city
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a song
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. firm — a company

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