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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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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. cap — a hat
  5. last — finally
  6. charge — in control
  7. roll — a cake
  8. last — final
  9. suit — clothes
  10. last — to go on
  11. cap — a lid
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. roll — a list
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. capital — money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — a company

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