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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — money
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. capital — a city
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stand — to bear
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. charge — in control
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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