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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
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: key · kick · capital · tube · pitch · rush · root · mouse

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a city
  4. kick — in football
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. rush — hurry
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — of a plant
  22. capital — money
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. key — in music

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