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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.

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 · key · current · craft · mine · fan · saw · mug

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. craft — boats
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. capital — a city
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — to rob
  16. saw — the tool
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — a face
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — a skill
  21. capital — money
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. key — for a lock

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