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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: leaves · key · suit · capital · current · rest · plane · game

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. game — wild animals
  3. capital — a city
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — a tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. game — a match
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rest — a break
  24. current — electric

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