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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. deal — to handle
  3. file — a document
  4. snap — to click
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. capital — a city
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. chair — a leader
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. file — a line of people
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. file — a tool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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