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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. branch — a division
  4. capital — money
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. charge — in control
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. kid — child
  10. pitch — completely
  11. firm — decided
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. tear — to rip
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. charge — electricity
  17. capital — a city
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. firm — a company
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. charge — a price

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