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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. capital — money
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — the animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. capital — a city
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. charge — in control
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. deal — to handle
  24. sharp — clever

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