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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 116 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: pit · spell · track · capital · perch · coach · stand · ground

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — a song
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. capital — money
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — magic
  15. capital — a city
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — a path
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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