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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. race — a contest
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chip — to eat
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. race — the arms race
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. race — humankind
  19. rock — a stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. key — in music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. sharp — exactly

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