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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. capital — a city
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. roll — a list
  11. date — the fruit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. charge — a price
  16. stem — to come from
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — a cake
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — money
  24. charge — in control

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