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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. mate — a friend
  6. capital — money
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — of a river
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — a tin
  21. capital — a city
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pop — to visit
  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