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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.

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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kid — child
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bear — the animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. kid — to tease
  12. capital — money
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — a container
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. capital — a city
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. key — for a lock
  24. racket — for tennis

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