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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chip — for betting
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bound — obliged
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — to sink
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — in control
  22. capital — a city
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — of ice

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