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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — a hat
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — of ice
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. capital — money
  12. current — electric
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. current — of water
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. current — happening now
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. capital — a city
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. capital — a big letter

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