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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · safe · swing · capital · key · firm · squash · tube

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. swing — to play on
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — the most important part
  5. tube — the underground
  6. capital — a city
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. tube — a container
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. firm — decided
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. key — in music
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. squash — the sport
  18. capital — money
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. squash — the vegetable

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