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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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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: board · mate · staff · pit · capital · fine · straw · toast

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. capital — a city
  4. fine — high quality
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. capital — money
  7. mate — a partner
  8. toast — bread
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. fine — all right
  17. staff — employees
  18. board — a committee
  19. mate — to breed
  20. staff — employees
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pit — in a race

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