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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. key — in music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pit — a hole
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — in cards
  21. capital — a city
  22. key — the most important part
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pit — in a race

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