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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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468
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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. key — the most important part
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — for a lock
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. key — in music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. cue — for pool
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — the animal
  17. capital — money
  18. rule — government
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cue — a signal

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