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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.

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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: stick · ruler · capital · key · squash · bowl · rash · deal

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. bowl — a dish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. key — in music
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. squash — the sport
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rash — a series
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — money
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. capital — a city
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — to roll
  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