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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pound — a weight
  18. capital — a city
  19. charge — in control
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — a price
  22. mate — to breed
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mate — a friend

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