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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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 — for a computer
  2. capital — a city
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. land — ground
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — electricity
  9. land — a country
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. capital — money
  14. rest — a break
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. land — to come down
  20. fork — in a road
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. march — the month
  23. safe — out of danger
  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