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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: current · capital · craft · dip · object · bore · trunk · key

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. capital — money
  3. key — the most important part
  4. dip — to sink
  5. object — to protest
  6. craft — a skill
  7. current — happening now
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. bore — to tire
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — electric
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. current — of water
  19. bore — to drill
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. key — in music
  23. capital — a city
  24. trunk — of a tree

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