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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: land · capital · bay · key · rash · hide · deal · saw

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — money
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. land — ground
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. land — to come down
  11. rash — hasty
  12. land — a country
  13. key — for a lock
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. key — the most important part
  16. capital — a city
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — a series
  21. saw — the tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rash — on the skin

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