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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: mug · lie · pit · capital · mine · spring · key · rock

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mug — a face
  12. capital — a city
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spring — a coil
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mug — a cup
  21. capital — money
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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