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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. saw — the tool
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — a lid
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — a city
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. can — to be able to
  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