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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.

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: arm · dip · track · swing · capital · band · can · hide

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. swing — music
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. track — to keep track
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. dip — to sink
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. swing — in golf
  13. band — a ring
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. track — a song
  16. capital — a city
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — a path
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. band — a music group
  23. can — to be able to
  24. swing — to play on

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