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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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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: hide · mug · capital · stick · deal · race · track · fan

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. race — humankind
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. race — a contest
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mug — a face

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