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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · cue · ruler · key · capital · pitcher

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. key — for a lock
  9. capital — a city
  10. tear — from crying
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a signal
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. tear — from crying
  18. 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