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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · key · can · spring · hide · leaves · degree · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. degree — temperature
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spring — the season
  9. degree — an amount
  10. capital — a city
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. capital — money
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. spring — a coil
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — the most important part
  19. spring — of water
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. can — a tin
  22. wound — an injury
  23. degree — from a university
  24. can — to be able to

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