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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mug — to rob
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mug — a cup
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — a face
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. capital — a city
  13. press — newspapers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. craft — boats
  18. press — to push
  19. capital — money
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. key — for a lock
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. craft — a skill

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