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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. capital — a city
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — in control
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spell — letters
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. spell — magic
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — a price
  22. chip — for betting
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chip — to eat

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