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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. current — of water
  8. capital — money
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rash — a series
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. current — electric
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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