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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. object — an aim
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. capital — a city
  10. tube — the underground
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bat — the animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tube — a container
  21. charge — in control
  22. rest — a break
  23. charge — a price
  24. capital — money

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