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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. capital — a city
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rock — a stone
  18. capital — money

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