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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. capital — money
  3. present — the time now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a path
  6. key — in music
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. present — there
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. track — to keep track
  16. capital — a city
  17. fork — in a road
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — a gift
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. saw — the tool
  24. capital — a big letter

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