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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. suit — to fit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. key — in music
  5. capital — a city
  6. key — for a lock
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. capital — money
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. scale — size or range
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. saw — the tool

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