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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. firm — decided
  3. capital — money
  4. key — for a lock
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. key — in music
  7. firm — a company
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — to protest
  10. firm — steady
  11. court — of a king
  12. capital — a city
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. object — an aim
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — a thing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. court — for sport

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