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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.

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: capital · date · dip · key · wax · nail · charge · chest

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. capital — money
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chest — of your body
  12. date — the fruit
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chest — a box
  20. charge — a price
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chest — of your body

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