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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. capital — money
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. date — the fruit
  5. charge — a price
  6. capital — a city
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — to come down
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tube — a container
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. charge — in control
  17. saw — the tool
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. date — on the calendar

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