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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: suit · hide · capital · rock · racket · leaves · chair · roll

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. chair — a leader
  3. rock — music
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. capital — money
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. roll — a cake
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. capital — a city
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. suit — to fit
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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