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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. charge — in control
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — a price
  10. capital — a city
  11. spell — letters
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — electricity
  16. capital — money
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money

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