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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — a price
  7. hand — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — a city
  13. charge — electricity
  14. hand — help
  15. capital — money
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. kick — in football
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hand — part of the 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