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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fall — the season
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — in music
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — in football

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