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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. capital — money
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a dance
  11. suit — clothes
  12. key — in music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. capital — a city
  18. march — music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lie — an untruth

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