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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — to rob
  3. capital — money
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. capital — a city
  7. key — in music
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. root — the cause
  12. squash — to crush
  13. can — a tin
  14. root — of a word
  15. mug — a cup
  16. suit — to fit
  17. can — a tin
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pass — a permit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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