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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cap — a lid
  3. root — of a plant
  4. capital — money
  5. squash — the sport
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. key — in music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. key — the most important part
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cap — of ice
  21. capital — a city
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cap — a hat
  24. game — a match

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