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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: rock · mug · cabinet · saw · track · capital · mate · stick

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. capital — money
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mug — a cup
  5. track — to keep track
  6. capital — a city
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. track — a path
  10. mug — to rob
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mug — a face
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — music
  17. track — a song
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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