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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a great time
  5. capital — money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — in music
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — a city
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bore — to tire
  15. firm — steady
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — a company
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — decided
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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