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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. capital — a city
  3. degree — temperature
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. capital — money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. degree — from a university
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. tube — a container
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — hurry
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. degree — an amount
  20. charge — in control
  21. mate — a partner
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — the underground
  24. capital — a big letter

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