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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. capital — money
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — in control
  5. key — in music
  6. root — of a word
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. root — of a plant
  9. scale — in music
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — the cause
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — a city
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chest — of your body
  16. scale — size or range
  17. key — the most important part
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chest — a box
  24. suit — in cards

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