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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. key — in music
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mate — a partner
  5. capital — a city
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. march — the month
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. march — the month
  12. chip — to eat
  13. key — for a lock
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. march — music
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mate — a friend
  19. vault — a safe
  20. capital — money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — a tool
  24. chip — for betting

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