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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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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: kick · safe · swing · capital · key · firm

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — for a lock
  4. swing — to play on
  5. key — in music
  6. swing — music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — decided
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. swing — in golf
  18. firm — a company

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