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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rule — a law
  3. capital — a city
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. capital — money
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cap — a hat
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — of ice
  15. foot — a measure
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — government
  24. key — for a lock

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