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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: race · row · face · capital · dip · fine · net · cue

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. row — to paddle
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. net — for catching
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. face — to confront
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cue — for pool
  14. race — humankind
  15. capital — a city
  16. fine — high quality
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. dip — to sink
  20. capital — money
  21. row — a line
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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