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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. current — of water
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pit — in a race
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. capital — a city
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pit — a hole
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. capital — money
  17. club — for dancing
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. bark — of a tree

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