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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — soda
  3. content — happy
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pop — to visit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. capital — money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. present — the time now
  12. content — the amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. present — a gift
  17. pop — music
  18. present — there
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. capital — a city
  24. charge — a price

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