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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stand — to bear
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. capital — a city
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. scale — size or range
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. charge — a price
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. capital — money
  18. scale — in music
  19. kick — in football
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. deal — to handle
  24. charge — electricity

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