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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. hand — help
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. saw — the tool
  9. capital — a city
  10. saw — the tool
  11. charge — a price
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — of ice
  14. capital — money
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — in control
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. can — a tin

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