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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — there
  10. cue — a signal
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — the time now
  13. capital — a city
  14. toast — bread
  15. snap — to click
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. present — a gift
  18. chip — to eat
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. cue — for pool
  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