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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — to fit
  5. band — a ring
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mate — to breed
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a music group
  12. capital — a city
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. capital — money
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mate — a partner
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mate — a friend
  21. kick — in football
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — for a lock
  24. scale — in music

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