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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — a price
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. capital — a city
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. mine — for digging
  15. firm — steady
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. firm — a company
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. firm — decided

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