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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. key — for a lock
  3. capital — money
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. capital — a city
  7. plane — a tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. band — a ring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. key — the most important part
  15. craft — a skill
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. present — a gift
  18. band — a music group
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. present — the time now
  23. key — in music
  24. craft — boats

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