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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. charge — in control
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. charge — electricity
  8. capital — money
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. capital — a city
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. land — a country
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. charge — a price
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. land — to come down
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. land — ground

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