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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. current — of water
  3. key — for a lock
  4. capital — a city
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — the most important part
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. club — a group
  12. ground — a position
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rest — a break
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ground — crushed
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — in music

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