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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. current — happening now
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lean — thin
  14. key — in music
  15. current — of water
  16. firm — decided
  17. tube — a container
  18. lean — to bend
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — electric
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bear — to put up with

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