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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. scale — in music
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — a price
  11. capital — a city
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ground — a position
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. scale — size or range
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. key — for a lock
  23. charge — in control
  24. can — to be able to

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