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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — money
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. charge — a price
  8. staff — employees
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. suit — clothes
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. staff — employees
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. suit — in cards

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