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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. key — the most important part
  3. root — the cause
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tube — the underground
  13. key — for a lock
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. tube — a container
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city

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