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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. toast — bread
  6. ball — a dance
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pound — a weight
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tube — a container
  17. ball — a great time
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stand — to bear
  21. capital — a city
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pound — for dogs

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