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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. current — electric
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. capital — money
  5. can — to be able to
  6. key — in music
  7. chip — for betting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. key — the most important part
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a path
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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