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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.

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: capital · cabinet · toast · key · bound · prune · march · rock

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. capital — a city
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — a stone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. capital — money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. key — in music
  13. rock — music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bound — tied together
  16. march — music
  17. bound — certain
  18. march — the month
  19. toast — bread
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. march — the month

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