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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. key — the most important part
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. object — to protest
  7. cue — for pool
  8. object — an aim
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. date — the fruit
  14. capital — money
  15. scale — size or range
  16. capital — a city
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a signal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. scale — in music
  23. rash — hasty
  24. can — a tin

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