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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 second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. key — for a lock
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pop — music
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — soda
  8. board — a committee
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — the fish
  14. key — the most important part
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. capital — a city
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fan — to cool the air

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