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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.

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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: fine · rock · leaves · dip · key · saw · capital · craft

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. saw — the tool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — a stone
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. craft — boats
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rock — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — a skill
  22. dip — to sink
  23. capital — a city
  24. craft — a handicraft

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