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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: trunk · deal · cabinet · coach · ball · calf · capital · key

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a great time
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. capital — money
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. deal — to handle
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. key — for a lock
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — in music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. capital — a city

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