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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — in control
  5. capital — money
  6. hand — in cards
  7. key — for a lock
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — a city
  10. charge — electricity
  11. key — in music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. scale — in music
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. key — the most important part
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. scale — size or range
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — for a hammer

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