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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. capital — a city
  3. pop — to visit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. key — in music
  9. cue — a signal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pop — music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pop — soda
  19. chip — for betting
  20. capital — money
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. charge — a price
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. chip — to eat

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