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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: row · safe · key · capital · current · cap · bank · bowl

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — the most important part
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. current — of water
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. capital — a city
  8. bank — for money
  9. cap — of ice
  10. row — a line
  11. capital — money
  12. key — in music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — electric
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. key — for a lock
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — happening now
  21. bank — for money
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. capital — a big letter

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