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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: ruler · fine · pass · capital · wind · date · kick · mug

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mug — a cup
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. capital — a city
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fine — all right
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. capital — money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mug — a face
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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