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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.

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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: capital · bore · key · mug · calf · staff · wound · pitcher

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wound — an injury
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — in music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. staff — a stick
  10. key — the most important part
  11. capital — a city
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. capital — money
  15. mug — a face
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. key — for a lock

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