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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. dip — to sink
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. march — the month
  8. charge — a price
  9. court — of a king
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. track — to keep track
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — a song
  14. capital — a city
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. capital — money
  17. court — of law
  18. march — the month
  19. track — a path
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — to bear
  22. march — music
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. perch — the fish

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