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

Word bank: hide · key · toast · pit · capital · mouse

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. key — in music
  4. toast — bread
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. capital — a city
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. key — the most important part
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. capital — money
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mouse — the animal

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