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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lean — thin
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — money
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mate — a partner
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lean — to bend
  21. key — for a lock
  22. suit — in cards
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. capital — a city

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