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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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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: key · kick · ground · rash · dip · deal · roll · capital

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ground — a position
  7. dip — to sink
  8. key — the most important part
  9. capital — money
  10. key — in music
  11. roll — a list
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ground — crushed
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. key — for a lock
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rash — a series

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