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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. can — to be able to
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. charge — in control
  6. capital — money
  7. charge — a price
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. can — a tin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. capital — a city
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. race — humankind
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bass — the instrument

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