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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. capital — a city
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — money
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rash — a series
  10. key — in music
  11. club — a group
  12. mate — a partner
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mate — a friend
  17. club — for dancing
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. tube — a container
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. club — for golf
  23. key — the most important part
  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